More

Insurance Commissioner Recuses Self From Cigna Merger

HARTFORD, Conn. (CBS Connecticut and AP) – Connecticut’s insurance commissioner has told a state ethics panel that she would recuse herself from overseeing a proposed merger involving her former employer.

Commissioner Katharine Wade is a former lobbyist and government relations executive for Bloomfield-based Cigna.

The Citizens Ethics Advisory Board has been reviewing whether Wade should have been permitted under the state’s code of ethics to regulate the industry and preside over the state’s review of the proposed merger of Anthem Inc. and Cigna.

The merger has been on hold since July when the U.S. Justice Department sued to block it. Wade told the board Thursday that if merger proceedings resume, she would recuse herself.

Wade said there was no conflict of interest but the controversy had created “unwarranted and unfair distractions” for the insurance department.